Bottle-capping machine



Aug. 9, 1930. R. N. CUNDALL 1,773,259

BOTTLE CAPPING MACHINE Filed Jan. 29. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 g- 19, 9 R. N. CUNDALL 1,773,259

BOTTLE GAPPING MACHINE Filed Jan. 29, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 19, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROBERT N. CUNDALL, OF BLASDELL, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO CAPEM MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK BOTTLE-CAPPING MACHINE Application filed January 29, 1925. Serial No. 5,515.

In my pending application for patent, Serial No. 577,418 I have disclosed a machine for applying caps or covers to bottles or jars wherein a series of cap applying chucks mounted on a rotatable head or turret is movable in relation to a cap feeder and to a bottle or jar feeder and performs the operations of taking the caps from the cap feeder and applying them to the bottles or jars successively advanced by the bottle or jar feeder.

My present invention relates to a machine of the above general type and more particularly to the cap applying chuck structure of such a machine.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a cap applying chuck which will successfully meet certain conditions which are peculiar to bottles or jars having sheet metal caps or covers. These conditions, briefly stated, are irregularity in the outline of the bottom edge of the cap, slight variations in the diameter of the cap and slight eccentricity of the tops or necks of the containers. In the manufacture of sheet metal caps. the first operation of drawing the cup or blank from which the cap is made frequently leaves the bottom edge irregular. The thread is rolled into the sides of the cap by holding the cap while rotating between two flat surfaces pressing against the two faces of the top of the cap. Any irregularitics that exist in the lower edge of the cap are accentuated by this operation. By means of the present invention the cap is located in the chuck by at least one of the same surfaces that was used to provide a locating point during the manufacture of the cap and in this way it is assured that the cap is held true in the chuck. The present invention also provides for holding the caps with substantially the same tension notwithstanding the slight variations in diameter which may be found in different caps. The present invention also provides for holding the cap rigidly and truly in the chuck while at the same time providing that the chuck shall accommodate itself to any slight eccentricity of the top or neck of the container to which the cap is to be attached.

A further object of the invention is to procannot be distorted or deformed,

vide a cap applying chuck which will hold the cap securely and in such manner that the cap even when made of thin or soft metal.

A further object is to provide for varying the degree of tension with which the cap is held in the chuck in order to meet different requirements as to the tightness of the cap on the bottle or jar.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein Figure 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section showing certain features of the machine to which the invention is applicable and also showingdifi'erent positions and operative conditions of chucks in which the features of the invention are incorporated.

Figure 2 is a detail vertical sectional view of the cap applying chuck.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view thereof.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view looking in the direction of the arrows 44 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view looking in the direction of the arrows 55 of Figure 2.

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 6-6 of Figure 2.

Figure 7 is a detail prospective view of a jaw of the chuck.

b gigure 8 is a detail elevation of the chuck Figure 9 is a vertical sectional view showing a chuck of modified form.

Figure 10 is asectional view on the line 10 10 of Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a vertical sectional view showing a further modification.

Figure 12 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 1212 of Figure 11.

Figure 1 shows such details of the machine as are necessary to an understanding of the features of operation and utility of the pres ent invention. It is not deemed necessary to describe these machine features in any extended detail since they are fully described in my said co-pending application and since a brief recapitulation of these features, us ing therefor the same reference characters -cam48arr end of said shaft and which fits in the rewhich are employed in my copending application, will suflice to make clear their operative relation 'to the chuck structure in which the invention consists.

The machine features illustrated in Figure 1 are the stationary table 19, the rotatable table 31 arranged within an openin 20 formed in the table 19, the u per hea 26, the intermediate head 27 and t 0 lower head 30, all of which heads and the table 31 are suitably coupled together to rotate as a unit, the stationary master gear 40 arranged be tween the heads 27 and 30, the stationary anged above the master gear, the fixed and movable jar clamping elements 81 and'83 mounted on the table 31, the rotatable cap feeding disk 58 and one of the cap holders 59 mounted on the disk 58. The parts above described are of the same form as the corresponding parts of the machine shown in my said co-pending application except that the stationary cam 48 has the profile of its working face varied so as to accomplish certain operations, to be hereafter described in detail, which are peculiar to the use of the chuck structure of the present invention.

The cap applying chucks are indicated generally at C and are operated both axially and rotatably by vertical shafts 33 mounted in suitable bearin 34 and 35 provided on the heads 30 and respectively. The shafts 33 are each formed or provided with pinions 39 which enga e the master ear wheel 40, said gear whee being of suc extent from face to face that the engagement of the pin ions 39 therewith is maintained throu bout the range of axial movement of the sha ts 33. The shafts 33 are also provided with cross heads 42 which carry guide rods 41 that work through openings in the head 26 and which also carry rollers 49 for co-operation with the profiled up r ed of the cam 48. Each cap appl 'ng c uck is a self-contained unit removab y fitted to its corresponding operatingshaft 33.

eferring to Figures 1 to 8: The chuck includes a body 100 having a .circular recess 101 open to its upper face (F' 2) and below said recess having a portion of reduced diameter which is formed with a circumscribing groove 102 (Figures 2 and 8) and with a central axial bore 103. The chuck is connected to its operating shaft '33 by a driving plate 104 which is threaded or otherwise suitably connected to the lower cess 101 and the body 100 is-hung from the secured by screws 106 to the upper face of said body and engaging over the plate 104. The cap engaging elements of the chuck are jaws 107 which are arranged in. annular series and are preferably three in number, each .jaw having at its upper end inwardly projecting lugs 108 which conformably fit in the groove 102 and form fulcrums about which the jaws may rock, the jaws being pressed inward by springs 109 which engage their outer faces and are fitted in vertical grooves 110 formed in the outer face of the bog 100.,

the springs being secured to said b y by screws 111. The jaws 107 are mounted below the part of the body 100 in which the recess 101 is formed and as normally pressed inward by the s rings 109 assume the form of a cylinder. he driving connections between the chuck body and the shaft 33 are such as to permit the chuck body to have a measure of lateral slippage or play relatively to said shaft for the purpose of compensating for any slight eccentricity of the threaded neck of the jar or bottle 145. The driving connections preferably consist of a flat ring 112 which is arranged in the recess 101 below the plate 104 and is provided in its margin with diametrically opposite recesses 113 and with a second pair of diametrically opposite recesses 114 arranged on a line at right angles to the diameter on which the recesses 113 are arranged. The ring 112 is connected to the body 100 by vertical pins 115 fitted in openings in said body and having heads 116 which fit in the recesses 113. The ring 112 is also connected to the plate 104 b vertical pins 117 which are fitted in the p ate 104 and engage at their lower ends with the recesses 114 of the ring 112. The recesses 113 and 114 are of such length as to permit relative play or movement therein of the pins 115 and 117 respectively and thereby the body may shift laterally relatively to the shaft 33 within the limits prescribed. By providing the pins and 117 and the corresponding recesses therefor in the ring 112 ,two directions of lateral shift- .ing are ible and the self-adjustment of the chuc to any eccentricity of the threaded neck of the bottle or jar 18 thereby facilitated. In one direction of lateral shifting the body 100 shifts relatively to the ring 112, the pins 115 and recesses 113 providing the guides and in the other direction of lateral shifting the body 100 and the ring 112 shift relatively to the plate 104, the ins 117 and recesses 114 providin the gui es. It will, of course, be obvious t at no matter what position the body 100 may be required to assume within, the limits of its lateral play the pins 115 and 117 and the ring 112 are operative positively to couple the body 100 and plate 104 so that'said body will be driven rotatably by said late. plate 104 by means of a hanger plate 105 At a period of t e operation of the chuck,

therein and fol-which a bottle or 'ar'may not have been supplied. To accomp ish this operation a vertically movable spreader disk downwardly tapering cam surface 119 which jaws 107 has a flaring or bell mouth 124.-

mg spring controlled will themselves to any variations in the diameters its circumferential face provided with a enga s conforming cam surfaces 150 formed on t5: inner faces of the jaws 107. The spreader 118 is provided on its upper face with a centrally located post 120 w 1ch fits slidably in the central opening 103 of the body 100 and is engaged by arod 121 mounted for axial sliding movement in an axial bore of the corresponding shaft 33." The rod 121 projects beyond the upper end of the shaft 33 and at a period of the rotation ofthe table 31 enga es a stop 122 ('Fi ure 1) by which as the sha 33 is elevated t e rod 121 Is relatively lowered, that is to say held against being elevated, with the result that the d1sk 118 by the co-operationof its cam surface 119 with the cam surfaces 150 of the jaws 107 rocks said jaws out-ward about their fulcrums 108.

Below the cam surface 150 each jaw 107 is formed with an internal shoulder 123 which is normally flush with the under face of the spreader 118. The cylinder formed by tlhe 5 which the jaws are enabled freely to take over the cap 14 arranged upon the cap holder 59. It will, of course, be understood that the pressure with which the jaws 107 engage the cap can be regulated in any suitable manner as by providing two or more leaf springs for each jaw or otherwise varying the tension of the springs. It. is obvious that the jaws 107 beaccommodate of the caps and will grip each of the caps with substantially the same tension. Inasmuch as the jaws grip the cap practically uniformly throughout its circumferential wall and also bear upon its upper face there is no possibility of the cap being distorted.

In Figure 1 there is illustrated by broken lines the position and condition of a chuck at the time the spreader 118 is' operated to move the jaws outward. Thereafter due to the profile of the cam 48 the chuck moves downward until it comes to a position in WhlCh it isaligned with a cap 14 fitted on a holder 59 of the rotating cap feeder 58. The downward movement of the'chuck is completed at suchtime, the spreader 118 being the first part of the chuck to engage the cap and engagingthe upper face of the same. When the spreader 118 engages the cap it is thereby pushed upward relatively to the descending chuck body 100 with the result that the spreader is forced against the under face of said body and the jaws 107 are permitted to be swung inward under the pressure of their springs 109. In such inward s w1ng1ng movement the shoulders 123 of the ]aws engage the top. of the cap thereby locating the same relatively to the chuck and the Portions is thereupon ejected of the jaws below said shoulders engage the cylindrical portion of the caps This position and condition of a chuck is illustrated m the case of the chuck shown at the left side of Figure 1. As the rotation of the table 31 continues the chuck is then raised,

carrying the cap with it, to an elevation at which it W111 clear the bottle or jar 145 which has been ad vanced into capping position by the bottle or jar feed mechanism (not shown). The chuck then'descends and as the rotation of the table continues screws the cap on to the bottle or jar, the completion of this operation being shown in the case of the chuck at the right side of Figure 1. Thereafter, the jar being held against upward displacement by the clamping elements 81 and 83 the chuck is raised so as to disengage it from the jar which from the machine in the manner described in my said pending application, this raising of the chuck being continued until the chuck is brought to the position and condition shown by broken lines in Figure 1. It will be noted that the stop 122 by which the spreader 118 is actuated may be adjustable and for this purpose may be in the form of a screw which can be set at any desired position. i

The modified construction shown in Figures 9 and 10 differs from the construction shown in Figure 1 only in that the jaws, here designated as 107' are not fulcrumed but are mounted for radial sliding movement. In this modified construction the chuck body, here designated as 100', is formed with downwardly projecting bars 100" between which the jaws 107' are fitted, these bars being connected at their lower end by a bell month annulus 100 which provides a lower support for the jaws and which also provides a bell mouth for the chuck similar to the bell mouth 124 provided in the construction of Figure 2. Figure 9 also showsthe chuck jaws as backed by superposed springs, here designated 109" instead of by a single spring as in the construction first described. In other respects the construction shown in Figures 9 and 10 is similar to the construction shown in Figures 2 to 8. Figures 11 and 12 illustrate a further modification in which the jaws, here designated as 107 construction shown in Figure 1 but are backed by helical springs 109 instead of by coil springs. In'this modified construction a are fulcrumed as in the a cylinder surrounds the chuck body and is secured thereto by screws 126. This cylinder is provided with an internal rib or flan 127 which is secured by screws 128 and which bears against the jaws 107" at or near their upper ends in order to hold sald upper ends against displacement relatively to thgegroove in which the fulcrum lugs are fit In other res ects this modified construction resembles t e construction shown in Figure 2.

f fully described my invention, I e aim 5 1. In a bottle cappin machine having a rotary chuck operating ft, a rotary cap applying chuck comgmsing a body, means carried by the body or en agement with a cap a drive late connect to said shaft and -means 0 drivin connection between said plate and said y and permittin of lateral play of said body relativelyto sai plate.

2. In a bottle cappi machine having a retary chuck operating a aft, a rotary-cap applying chuck compressing a body, a series of aws carried by t e y and mounted for inward and outward movement, springs acting on the jaws to force them inward, a drive late connected to said shaft, and means of riving connection between said plate and said body and permittin of lateral play of said body relatively to sa d plate.

3. In a bottle capping machine having a rotary chuck 0 rating shaft, a rotary cap applyin chuc comprising a body, means carried y the body for engagement with a cap, a drive plate connected to said shaft, said body having a recess open to its upper face in 1 which said plate is fitted, a hanger plate secured to said body and engaging said-drive plate from above, and means of driving conmotion between said drive plate and said body and rmitting of lateral play of said body relatively to said drive plate.

4. In. a bottle capping machine having a rotary chuck operating shaft, ai'otary cap applying chuck comprising a body, means carried by the body for engagement with a cap, a drive plate connected to said shaft, an element arranged under said plate and having two pairs of radially disposed recesses, those of one pair located midway between those of the other pair, pins fitted into said body and projecting into the recesses of one pair and ins fitted to said drive plate and projecting into the recesses of the other pair, said recesses being of such extent that said pins may play lengthwise thereof.

5. In a bottle capping machine, a rotary cap applying chuc comprising a body, a series of jaws carried by the body and mounted for inward and outward movement,.

springs acting on the 'aws to force them inward, and aspreader isk mounted for axial movement within the jaws, said disk being operative to force them outward and also being operative to engage the top of the cap,

said jawsbeing formed with internal shoulders to engage the top of the ca and said shoulders being flush with the un er face of said disk.

6. In a bottle capping machine having a rotary chuck operating shaft, a rotarycap applying chuck comprising a body, means carried by the body for en agement with a cap, a drlve plate connecte to said shaft,.a

flat ring arranged under said drive plate and having two pairs of radially disposed .re-

cap applying chuc ejlecting element axia those of one air located midw between those of the ot erpair, pins fi into said body and projecting into the of one pair, pins fitted to said drive pl nd pro'ecting in the recesses ofsaid'oth'er pair sai recesses being of such extent that sai pins may play lengthwise thereof, and a spreader dis confined in said jaws and operative by relative axial downward movement to spread said jaws apart, said disk havin a central upright post projecting throng said body 'and through said ring, said shaft having an axial bore, in combination with an operating rod for said disk slidably mounted in said axial bore and engageable with said post.

7. In a bottle capping machine, a rotary cap applying chuck comgrisingb-a body, spring pressed jaws carried y the ody'and mounted for inward and outward movement said jaws being adapted when moved inwardly to engage and support a cap, and an element axial y movable relatively to the chuck and operative in the space delimited by said jaws to engage and eject a cap supported by said jaws, in combination with means operative atv a period of the operation of the machine for causing a relative operative movement of said axially movable element.

8. In a bottle cap ing machine, a rotary cap applying chuc comprising a body, spring pressed jaws carried by the body and mounted for inward and outward movement, said jaws being 0 rative to support a cap which is wholly disengaged from the container to which it is to be ap lied and an element axially movable relatively to the chuck and'enclosed within and formed to engage -said jaws: whereby during its relative movement in one direction said element will force said 'aws relatively outward, said element also eing engageable with a 'cap, in combination with means for relatively vertically movingthe chuck whereby to apply a cap and other means operative at a subsequent period for relatively moving said element and causing the same tov move said jaws outward and in case a cap be confined within said jaws to push the same from the chuck. 1

9 In a bottle cap ing machine, a rotary comprising a body, spring pressed jaws carried by the body and mounted for inward and outward movement, said jaws being adapted when moved inwardly to engage and support a cap, and'a cap ly movable relatively to rative within the jaws in means for operating the e chuck and o combination wit chuck to apply a cap and other means operative at a subsequentperiod for operatively movin said element relatively to the chuck where y if 'a cap at such time be confined within .said jaws said element will eject said cap. i

10. Inabottle capping machine,aca feed-v ing means, a cap a plying chuck, a riving shaft for the chuck said chuck comprising spring pressed individually yieldable jaws which are adapted to engage and support a cap, a relatively movable cap ejecting element axially movable relatively to said chuck and o erative within the jaws, said relatively movable element being operative to spread the jaws during its relative movement to eject a cap, means for operating the chuck to apply a cap, means operative at a subsequent period for operatively movin said relative y movable e ement whereby i a cap at such time be confined within the jaws said relatively movable element will eject said cap, and means operative at a further subsequent period for producing an axial movement of the chuck to engage a cap supplied by the feeding means, said relatively movable e ement being restored by the relative thrust of the cap so engaged to its initial position thereby permitting the jaws to close upon the cap.

11. In a bottle ca ping machine, a driving shaft, a cap app ying chuck comprising spring pressed jaws which are individually yieldably engaged with said cap and means for supporting said chuck from said shaft and o erative to communicate the rotation of said shaft to said chuck, the latter being mounted for bodily lateral shifting movement within determined limits relatively to said shaft.

12. In a bottle capping machine, a rotary cap applying chuck comprising a bod spring pressed aws carried by the body an mounted for inward and outward movement, said jaws being adapted when moved inwardly to enga e and support a cap, and an element axial y movable relatively to the chuck and normally engaging the cap, said element being operative in the space delimited by said jaws to eject said cap from the jaws.

In testimony whereof I aflix m signature.

ROBERT N. GUITDALL. 

